Phase I: Applied Research for Museums

Year(s): 2019 – 2021

Description:
The Future Museum Phase I was launched in December 2019 by Museum Booster in collaboration with Fraunhofer IAO, aimed at helping museums navigate strategic planning in a rapidly changing environment.
The initiative focused on:

Conducting applied research into how museums and cultural institutions can keep pace with technological, social and market shifts.
Bringing together a community of museums, cultural leaders, public authorities, innovators and technology/supplier partners to exchange ideas, experiences and benchmarking data.
Producing insights and practical guidelines for investment decisions in technology, strategies for audience engagement, and organisational innovation.

Output:

A strategic framework and research outputs that support museums in understanding which technologies and solutions make sense to invest in.
The creation of a collaborative network/community for museums and cultural actors to share innovation practices.
Published findings and benchmark data that inform museum strategic direction, innovation adoption and transformation pathways.

Phase II: Relevance & Vision of Museums

Year(s): 2022 - 2024

Description:
The Future Museum Phase II research initiative, run by Museum Booster, continues the work of Phase I by helping museums apply cutting-edge know-how in their strategic planning.
Key components include:

Focus on Audience Development: What makes a museum visit interesting for different types of visitors?
Focus on Cross-media Development: How can digitalisation, storytelling and emotion design enhance the visitor experience?
Focus on Digitalisation & Management: How should museums adapt organisationally, use data, monetise digital content?
The project involves periodic meetings of the network of museums, suppliers and research partners.

Output:

A white paper summarising the “Holistic Visitor Journey Model: Combining Physical, Digital, and Emotional Engagement in Museums”.
Research reports, executive summaries, best-practice visits, workshops and satellite implementations by partner institutions.
Strategic frameworks to help museums assess visitor experience, digital workflows and organisational readiness.

Phase III: Vision & Relevance of Museums

Year(s): 2024 - 2026

Description: The Future Museum Phase III continues the longitudinal research by Museum Booster, now focusing on the future vision and relevance of museums in changing socio-economic, digital and ecological contexts.
Research areas include:

Audience Development: How can museums cultivate lifelong emotional connections with audiences?
Cross-sector Development: How can museums collaborate with other sectors (businesses, urban planners, circular economy) to enhance relevance?
Digitalisation & Management: How can museums implement dynamic pricing, real-time data strategies, digital tools while maintaining accessibility?

Output:

Trend reports, future scenario frameworks and case cards profiling innovative approaches from various sectors.
A toolkit including mindset, heartset, toolset and skillset templates to support museum strategic planning.
White papers and executive summaries documenting emerging research findings and guiding museum stakeholders.

Phase IV: Museums on the Frontline

Year(s): 2025 – 2027

Description:
Future Museum Phase IV marks the next step in the long-term applied research and foresight initiative led by Museum Booster, focusing on the reinvention and resilience of museums amid escalating global crises. In a period defined by political instability, economic hardship, social fragmentation, and environmental challenges, museums face the urgent task of proving their relevance, ensuring financial sustainability, and reasserting their societal role.
This phase shifts the perspective from adaptation to reinvention, emphasizing foresight, strategy, and collaboration for institutional transformation.

Research is organized around seven core dimensions:

Sustainability — Museums as engines of sustainable change
Well-being — Museums as essential spaces for resilience
Revenue & Technology — Museums as financially agile organisations
Future Relevance — Museums must matter
Audience Development — Museums must build loyalty
Cross-Sector Development — Museums must forge alliances
Digitalisation & Management — Museums must master data and costs

The methodology follows a participatory foresight approach, including collaborative scoping, desk research, interviews, focus groups, insight clustering, and co-creation labs. A series of research sprints (2025–2027) are planned, alternating between online and live meetings, ensuring that insights evolve through constant learning and exchange.

Output:
Future Museum Phase IV will generate a comprehensive suite of strategic foresight tools and research outputs, including:

Scenario decks outlining possible long-term developments for museums
Qualitative insight reports and stakeholder mappings to inform strategic decisions
Cross-sector case cards showcasing transferable innovations
Adaptable toolkits supporting foresight integration and institutional planning